This is a basic guide for leveling. I geared this for new players who have no experience with this game, no in game currency, no end game gear, and no access to friends with end game level mercenaries to use to plow through tough bosses on nightmare and ultimate mode like most guides require. In my experience, the other guides are for players who already have at least 1 character max or near max level, good gear, and friends to help them through bosses on the hardest difficulties.

If you found other guides near impossible to follow because the nightmare and ultimate mode bosses they recommend were too difficult with what you had access to then this guide is for you.

This guide does NOT tell you the bosses with the highest exp value to fight but instead focuses on battles you can do as a beginner with next to nothing and still level at a decent albeit slower rate. I use the main story where it helps you level without going too far and wasting the story exp when you can farm a boss and save the story exp for when you really need it.

This will be a very straight forward guide, more like a list. Quick, Simple, and to the point. Hopefully.

I recommend starting a one handed sword user. You will turn this into a 2 handed sword user once you acquire a 2h sword. The reason is simple. This will make a good character that can be used as a tank or attacker to accompany any other characters you make later on.

Note: Mercenary Characters controlled by the AI only keep Physical and Magical Attack, Hit, Flee, Attack Speed, HP, Defense and Magic Defense.
They don't keep Crit Rate, Crit Damage, Evasion, Guard Rate and Power, Ailment Resistance, Physical, Magical, and Elemental Resistance, Refinement and it's bonuses, AMPR, and All Barriers.
Aggro from a mercenary is generated at a fixed rate and can NOT be increased by aggro+% stats from their Equipment or Avatars.

The ruin rats in the very first dungeon drop the materials you need to make your first 2h sword at the blacksmith in Sofya City. It's cheap at 5 spina so you can sell the other drops you have to easily afford creating this weapon.

Stats:
Strength for damage and crit hit. In Toram if your crit hit is high enough you don't need dex for the hit stat. Build Strength to 250
Vitality for defense and hp. This character is likely going to be your tank when you make your next character. Build Vitality to 250
Remaining points you get later on is up to you how you want to spend them.

First skill to max out is Hammer Slam as it has a low mp cost of 100 the first use and 0 there after making it powerful and spammable and thus making it an easy 1st character build.
Hard hit is second to max. This allows you to flinch bosses. When successful you will see a white parts break circle appear on the boss. Tap it as many times as you can before it disappears. If the part breaks, it will turn red. Many bosses have multiple part break circles and you will have to move around to locate them. Max number of part break circles for any boss is 3 at time of this writing.

Breaking parts does 2 things for you.
1: increases chance for some items to drop from bosses.
2: increases amount of exp you get from bosses.
There are 3 status effects that cause part break circles to appear. Flinch, Tumble, and Stun.
Beware that later bosses are allergic to 1 or 2 of these.
What do I mean by allergic? The boss will react to the specific status affect with powerful special attacks or they might heal themselves. The reaction differs between bosses.

Build Continued
Skills:
Blade: Two Handed skills Top Row: 10, 5, 10, 10, 10
Hard Hit=10, Astute=5, Trigger Slash 5, Rampage=10
Meteor Breaker=10, Lunar Slash =10, Shut-Out 10, Berserk=10
Warcry=10, Buster Blade=10, Aura Blade 10
Sword Mastery=10, Sword Techniques=10, Quick Slash 10,
swift attack Optional must be 10

Shot: Long Range 10 (for Aura Blade), Decoy=10, Quick Draw=10

Magic: Impact=7, Finale 1, MP Charge=1

Guard Skills: Light Armor 5, Mirage Evasion 1

Halberd (attacker only): Quick Aura=10

Mononofu: Shukuchi=1, Two-Handed=10

Survival: HP Boost=10, MP Boost=10

Dark Power: Requires you to acquire Skill Book - Book of Darkness to get these skills
Soul Hunter 10, Eternal Nightmare 10

Support: Brave Aura 10, Battle: Mid row all 10

Knight: Provoke 5, Rage Sword 5, Binding Strike 10

Partisan: Requires you to get Skill Book - Book of Partisan
This skill book is available from npc quest at Hora Diamoeda after Venena Coenubia is defeated and you have reached level 200 or higher I think.
Top 5, 1, Bottom Frontliner 1 to skill level 5 at least, 10 if you have the skill points, Frontliner 2 skill level 1, 10 if you have the skill points

Combos:
1: Magic Impact, Lunar Slash (smite), Finale (smite)
2: swift Attack, ogre slash (smite), Binding Strike (cons),
Shutout (smite), Finale (smite)
3: for Healing Frontliner, Buster Blade (bloodsucker)
4: Storm Blaze, Soul Hunter (smite), Finale (smite)
5: Reflex, Dark Stinger (smite), Finale (smite)
6: Buffs War Cry, Berserk (save), Rampage (swift), Finale (smite)
7: Buffs Trigger Slash, Decoy (save), Finale (smite)
8: Buff Guard and Escape L Boomerang II, Garde Blade (save),
Gladiate (swift), Finale (smite)
9: Optional eternal buff Hammer Slam, Eternal Nightmare (swift), Quick Aura (swift)

Your equipment should focus as much as possible on Attack, Attack Speed, Physical and Magical Resistance, Strength, Vitality, Dexterity (not dexterity % since you don't have any points in the dex stat for the % to increase. 1% of 1 is going to round up to 1. 100% of 1 is 1. Thus no real stat gain) (for higher hit stat) and Critical Hit.

Once you've completed the game intro, you will find your self in Sofya City. This guide starts from this point and moves forward in a list format. MQ is short for Main Quest. Keep in mind some bosses are story locked so if you reach a location and the boss isn't there for you to fight, you will need to do the MQ up to that point in order to fight that boss.

Visit Sofya Library for skills when ever you can. It will cost spina and skill tree 3 and higher are level locked so you can't acquire them yet.

Join a guild and request some random players to be friends with. You can use guild mercenaries or friend mercenaries to help you in battle for the low cost of 0 Spina. Much better than having to pay spina for random mercenaries that are only at your level.
Mercenaries become less useful the further into the game you get. It's better to be in a party full of other players. Boss fights are easier and there's a boost in drop rates for a full party of players. Another players character used as a mercenary does not help you gain this drop rate boost, nor do pets. Pets and Mercs do not block and they don't avoid most boss attacks so they go down pretty fast (almost immediately at some bosses) at the higher level bosses.

Level

• 1 - 17 Do the MQ till you reach Eerie Cyrstal in the Isthmus of Kaus
  
• 17 - 29 Eerie Crystal - Isthmus of Kaus
  
• 29 - 32 MQ till you reach Minotaur
  
• 32 - 49 Minotaur (normal) - Ruined Temple: Forbidden Hall
  Note: Save the Minotaur skins. Sell them on the consignment board to get some early spina. It may take some time before they sell depending on player demand at the time.
  
  
• 49 - 52 Minotaur (hard)
  
• 52 - 57 Flare Volg (normal) - Fiery Volcano
  
• 57 - 63 Flare Volg (hard)
  
• 63 - 73 Masked Warrior (normal) - Land Under Cultivation: Hill
  
• 73 - 75 MQ till Grass Dragon Yelb
  
• 75 - 80 Grass Dragon Yelb (normal) - Albatif Village
  
• 80 - 87 Grass Dragon Yelb (hard)
  
• 87 - 91 MQ till Scrader
  
• 91 - 94 Scrader - Magic Waste Site: Deepest Part
  
• 94 - 97 MQ till Cerberus
  
• 94 - 104 Cerberus (normal) - Spring of Rebirth: Top
  
• 104 - 110 Cerberus (hard)
  
• 110 - 116 MQ till Venena or you reach level 116
  
• 116 - 121 Back track and fight Nightmare Potum (Miniboss) - Garden of Beginning
  
• 121 - 130 Lapin the Necromancer (Miniboss) - Trace of Dark River
  
  
• 130 - 134 Zahhak Machina (normal) - Lufenas Mansion: Hall
  Note: if you reached level 116 before reaching Venena in the story, continue the story the rest of the way to venena at this point instead of fighting Zahhak Machina. Depending on how much more story you have, you can make it to about level 137 by the time you reach venena.
  
  
• 134 - 147 Mozto Machina (hard) - Large Demi Machina Factory: Deepest Part
  Dusk Machina (mini-boss) - Small Demi Machina Factory: Area 2
  
• 147 - 153 Venena Coenubia (normal) - Ultimea Palace: Throne - Story Locked
  or Super Death Mushroom (mini-boss) Monster's Forest: Animal Trail
  if Venena proves too much for you at this time.
  
  
• 150 You are now able to purchase Tier 4 skills from the Library

• 153 - 157 Venena Coenubia (normal) - Ultimea Palace: Throne
  Super Death Mushroom (mini-boss) - Monsters Forest: Animal Trail
  Commander Golem (mini-boss) - Lufenas Mansion: Entrance
  
• 157 - 163 Venena Coenubia (hard) - Ultimea Palace: Throne
  Volotur (mini-boss) - Suburb of Droma Square: Area 3
  
• 160 - 167 MQ till Fistern the Dark Dragon
  
• 167 - 175 Altoblepas (mini-boss) - Rokoko Plains
  Fistern the Dark Dragon (normal) - Dark Dragon Shrine
  Fistern is Story Locked. You can NOT fight him if you haven't done the MQ up to
  him
  
• 173 - 180 Fistern the Dark Dragon (hard) - Dark Dragon Shrine
  Mithurna Lynx (mini-boss) - Ruins of Mt. Mithurna: Stylobate
  When you enter the ruins there is a raised area on the right with stairs that will lead you
  to the Stylobate. It's cramped quarters but no other enemies to accidentally agro.
  Sand Bandit Chopper (regular enemy) - Geist Desert
  Sand Bandit are decent exp for their level, use exp boosts to get the most out of them.
  Sell the drops to npc shop for a little extra spina
  
  
• 180 You can now learn the other tier 4 skills you couldn't before
  
  
• 178 - 188 Christmas Event only: Iceberg (regular enemy level 182) - Noliel Castle: B2 in the long hallway for level 150 - 170. Too bad these are only available during Christmas. Excellent exp for a normal mob
  
  
• 180 - 183 MQ till Ruins of Elbam (Venena Metacoenubia) Do not do the Ruins of Elbam
  quest just yet.
  
• 183 - 191 Kuzto (hard) - Labilans Sector: Area 3
  Thug Golem (mini-boss) - Dark Dragon Shrine: Middle
  Flystida (regular enemy) - Nov Diela: - can grind these up to level 199. Good for mats
  that can be turned into medicine sells for decent price on the consignment board
  
  
• 188 - 198 Christmas Event only: Iceberg (regular enemy level 192) - Noliel Castle: B2 in the long hallway for level 170 - 190. Still amazing exp for a regular enemy.
  
  
• 191 - 194 Arachnidemon (normal) - Arche Valley: Depths
  MQ till Hexter (Hexter is story locked)
  
• 194 - 204 Repthon (hard) - Deltzon Research Zone: Deapest Area
  Frenzy Viola (mini-boss) - Morthell Swell: Area 3 - confined area with lots of mobs
  around can make Viola really difficult if you use AOE's
  
  
• 198 - 208 Christmas Event only: Iceberg (regular enemy level 202) - Noliel Castle: B2 in the long hallway for level 190 - 210. Still amazing exp for a regular enemy.
  
  
• 204 - 208 MQ till your in Eva Tronk
  
• 208 - 209 Canemo Fish (mini-boss) - Rectacular Area 1
  
• 209 - 218 Black Shadow (Hard) - Rokoko City Ruins
  Canemo Fish (mini-boss) - Rectacular Area 1
  Sand Bandits Leader (mini-boss) - Giest Desert:Area 3
  
• 215 - 230 Espectro (mini-boss) - Arche Valley: Area 1
  
• 218 - 230 Ferezen (hard) - Guardian Forest: Giant Tree
  Lord of Nezim (mini-boss) - Nezim Wetlands
  
• 230 - 242 Velum (hard) - Arstida
  Arbogezella (mini-boss) - Guardian Forest: Lost Woods
  
• 240 - You can now learn tier 5 skills.
  
• 242 -250 Burning Dragon Igneus (hard) - Boma Moja: Village Center
  Blazingur (mini-boss) - Divido Valley 3
  At 246 can move to Ignitrus (mini-boss) - Vulcani Crater Base
  
• 250 - More tier 5 skills are available to learn

I don't plan to do more in this guide for above 250 unless I get a lot of people requesting it.

Needless to say, at this point in the game you will have noticed that the only way of getting decent exp beyond this point is either being in a party of players farming bosses on nightmare or ultimate mode, or doing the MQ till complete and then using an adventurers diary.

Going with anything less is going to be a slow grind to level cap.

Note: The last of the tier 5 skills become available at 285

What does it do?
Allows you start from any point in the story. This allows you to back track and gain MQ story exp all over again.

How do I obtain them?
Special Events sometimes offer them.
Asobimo's YT Livestream and Bemmo Channel Livestream sometimes offers them as free giveaways if you use the livestream Code within 2 hours of the livestream, 12 hours if you have an active 30 day ticket.
Sometimes you can find it on sale in the orb shop. When you do, there is a limit of one that can be purchased at that time.

How do I use it?
Go to Sofya Library and talk to Thales in the top furthest left corner. Select the Chapter and Episode to flash back to and your MQ for the current character will be changed immediately to this point.

When should I use one?
To get the most out of one, complete the entire story till there are no more MQ to do before you use it. This will usually require you to leave difficult boss fights and re-enter on easy mode to get through them. If your using the Adventures diary then your not concerned with boss exp anyway, only the story exp so beating these bosses on easy mode to get through is actually optimum strategy so u can use the diary and back track the MQ to get the story exp all over again. Great for leveling up fast.

I recommend you get to level 250 before you burn through the MQ to use one. Even doing it this way, it will take at least 2 Diary's to max 1 characters level. This will increase as the games level cap continues to increase. Current level cap as of writing this is now 305.

You may level slower using this guide than what other guides claim but the point of this is to be doable for anyone who's just starting out, doesn't have the spina to burn, the latest greatest gear, and/or access to highest level skills, not to get you to max level at record speeds.

I hope you found this guide useful.